Watertown Police Arrest 16-Year-Old in Connection with School Threats

Watertown Police Department arrested a 16-year-old male in relation to threatening social media messages exchanged between students of the Watertown Unified School District on Monday.

The police department investigated this incident throughout the day, and interviewed several students of Watertown High School.

As a result of the investigation a 16-year-old male juvenile has been taken into custody for this incident.

Based on the investigation it has been determined that there is no active threat of school violence.

It comes as state lawmakers work to pass a bill that would make school-related threats involving a gun a firearm. Currently, it's a felony to threaten a school with a bomb, or chemical agent, but only a misdemeanor crime involving a gun.

"Right now, we already have a felony on the books for an individual who makes a bomb threat, a false bomb threat at a school," says State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa. "This simply updates the statute so that it now includes a threat with a firearm. We know there have unfortunately been mass shootings across this country, so it's important that we close this loophole."

That bill has passed the assembly, and now moves on to the state senate.

Classes at Watertown High School are set to resume as scheduled Tuesday morning.